Metaphorically speaking, the human body is made of clay. The hands and feet are tools, the muscles and skin are light armor, and the voice, eyes, and ears are machines that help communicate thought. The things that go on inside of it and outside of it are in a constant process, and necessarily when something presses upon something else, the something else must react. The only things that cannot be influenced by external forces (including the body and all of the parts listed), are human judgments, choices that are exercised, the practice of virtue, and the mitigation of personal vice. The only argument against this refers to chemical or physical problems in the brain. Depending on the severity of the problems, cognitive abilities can be seriously affected, and the grip on the ability to reason is lessened. Although this particular train of thought isnt often touched on in remaining Stoic texts, it has been. Paraphrasing Marcus Aurelius, as one ages it becomes more likely that the ability to exercise appropriate choices and judgments will progressively weaken because of disease or physical deterioration. It is that much more important that we come to grips with the truth of each thing as early as we can, to knowingly become good in the time were able, and to help others find the same. The body is metaphoric clay, and the brain is a part of it, serving its own purpose and usefulness.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 07:41:01 +0000
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